Sources: Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari to retire

Jimmy Vielkind is reporting over at Capitol Confidential that Cohoes Assemblyman Ron Canestrari — who is also the Assembly’s majority leader — plans to join Assemblymen Jack McEneny and Bob Reilly in retirement.

From Jimmy’s story:

“Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari will announce Tuesday he is not seeking re-election, two people familiar with his plans said late Monday, making him the third Capital Region assemblymen this year to announce he was leaving office.

Canestrari’s aides confirmed only that he planned a press conference for 11 a.m. Tuesday to discuss “future plans.”

So, if you’re keeping track of these things, that signifies the potential for three open-seat Democratic Assembly primaries in Albany County, a new open Senate seat in the western part of the county and the potential that state Sen. Neil Breslin will face a Democratic primary for his seat in the eastern part of the county.

So let’s all ask ourselves how our world is better now thanks to Ron and Jack………..Ready? Here we go……….Are our roads and bridges better now? NO!!!! How about our other infrastructure? NO!!!! Are our schools doing better academically? NO!!!!! Have we added programs at our schools? NO!!!!! Are our taxes lower? NO!!!!! Are there more job available today? NO!!!! Failure upon failure upon failure and now they jump off the sinking ship they helped steer into the iceberg and take a huge pension we pay for with them.

6….what world are you living in? He deserves more credit than anyone for nanotechnology. Hundreds of jobs. RPI TECH PARK, watervliet arsenal would be boarded up if not for him. We still have lower taxes than westchester, all of long island, Rochester….some of our schools are top ranked. And no ones taxes are lower ANYWHERE. Some places are going bankrupt Look at buffalo and yonkers. Thanks to him delivering for jennings, albany is a lot better off. Learn what you’re talking about. This is a huge loss to our area.

Really #7 maybe you do not read the TU much but our unemployment is at a 10 year high. The Watervliet Arsenal employs what? 100 people – not really any help to the 100’s of thousands who live here. As for the taxes again you should read the paper more – NY is in the top 5 of the country my friend. Now as to the schools again I implore you to read more or maybe watch the news…….Programs are being cut left and right – teachers are losing their jobs – class sizes keep getting bigger and test scores keep going lower but hey if that’s all good to you go right ahead and toot Ron’s horn all you want but facts are facts and he is yet another rat jumping off the ship.

VERY surprising. this means that there is a opportunity for Major change in the capityol region legislatively, and i intend to be in the thick of things pushing for it. I wish mr canestrari all the best. he is retiring at the height of his powers, but the fact that he is stepping away is to his credit. we need new blood and new leadership. leadership that adequately reflects the changed demgraphic of the captiol region and I am hoping that by the end of 2013 that from City hall in Albany to the NYS assembly we have that!

ACS, if Corey Ellis ran a serious campaign for this seat I could be persuaded to support him in THAT effort, it would show a real commitment on his part as opposed to this running for mayor again nonsense! and Jennings for assembly would be very interesting, But im not sure if Jerry wants to run for office that much or that hard! But that aside, I am of the hope that the AC dems are actively seeking and soliciting diversity in their applicants to fill one of the open assembly seats!

Ellis got 44% of the vote. Why is it “nonsense” for him to consider running again? (then again, why am I discussing anything with Marlon?) The only real nonsense is that you call yourself a former candidate for mayor when you couldn’t even get 1,000 signatures. You might as well call yourself a candidate for President.

Jennings would have to move if he wanted to run for this seat. And then he would be too far from Martel’s to keep up his daily drinking regimen.

The con, Corey would be a disaster for the district. He is not going to sell well across the river, or in cohoes, watervliet and green island. Remember, he barely knew what was really going on in his own district.

44% among city democrats is not that impressive when you consider Goodbee getting 40% and spent no money. Corey spend tons of cash and only got 10%. The kid doesnt do well when you actually listen to him.

Be that as it may, Gerry is not a follower and no way he is going to give up the little pond to be a little fish.

2) Tons of cash? Ellis got outspent by a few hundred grand by Jennings. He didn’t even run any TV ads.

I understand you want to rewrite history because you don’t like Ellis, but you are either lying or ignorant. If you got 44% of the vote would you consider running again? Of course you would. To not even consider running after that level of support is ridiculous. But then you and Marlon often say things that are ridiculous.

Con, I stand somewhat corrected, Goodbee got 32% with no money and Corey got 44% with loads of money, support, backing from every “progressive” group in town, AlbanyCitizenWah propping up his campaing on her blog and a ticket scandal where we discovered that he himself had 19 of them.

I think I am still right about this guy being a total disaster. Those groups will not back him, he will not raise the money he raised before, AlbanyCtizenWah now knows her place within the machine and there will not be a scandal he can ride into city hall.

Con, if I got 44% of course I would consider it, agreed. But I will also look at some of the support that will not be around next time.

Corey is good for a city council or county ledge, but an executive position with real responsibilities, no way.

And assembly? Can we get someone with some maturity who has paid property taxes for god’s sake?

“with loads of money, support, backing from every “progressive” group in town, AlbanyCitizenWah propping up his campaing on her blog and a ticket scandal where we discovered that he himself had 19 of them.”

He spent something like $80K for a mayoral election in the capital city of NY. Jennings spent $350K or so in the primary. That is not loads of money for a challenger. For perspective. Corey Booker spent $3.5 million and lost in his first attempt to become mayor of Newark. Newark? And he ran again. Although I’m assuming you would tell him to just quit.

He didn’t have backing of every progressive group. Shawn Morris and her people worked against him. “Progressives” like Richard Conti and Chris Higgins and Leah Golby and Cathy Fahey” didn’t support him. Apparently they like Jennings.

The conservative blogger you reference referred to him as being like a trained monkey while he was running for office. Perhaps she’s deleted her archives but her Texas roots run strong. Some would call it racist. I wouldn’t. I just think she is crazy. And racist. Why anyone pays attention to her is beyond me. Shame on the Metroland for giving her a cover article.

No argument on the ticket scandal. Made the dude look bad. That said, I’ve talked to him , and I’ve also talked to a lot of other elected officials around here, and while it is a low bar, he is smarter than most of them.

If you got 44% of the vote, and you were ambitious, perhaps you would make a few phone calls outside of town to see who might want to help elect a mayor of a capital city for a couple hundred grand? If you didn’t, you would indeed be a disaster.

to DA con: 44% of nothing is nothing! simply put Corey ran a campaign with no substance, he had zero voice on the issues when it counted and he has zero voice on the issues now!n A assembly race would be great and a fit for corey, but a run for mayor in 2013 when he has been invisible on the issues in this city since 2009 would be a run of major hubris. As far as the continuing pitiful harranging on this blog site by individuals like yourself about me, I let my public record and stance on the issues speak for me. Just as i will IF I decide to run again in 2013! and youre right, My endorsement can and will be a game changer, since in most circles I am a trustworthy voice. and that tust was earned, by being there when it counts, speaking out and speaking up. not keeping silent, being invisible, or hiding behind a computer screen!

Con, I dont disagree with much there. The machine blogger was part of his campaign to sabbotage it. It explains her sudden switch and time at city hall chilling with the mayor while on Corey’s campaign. If she had a sliver of honesty she would tell you.

Too bad not all the progressives could get behind one candidate but Ellis was not it.

The Corey Booker story was different, the black dem machine in Newark didnt want this guy cause “he was not black enough to be mayor”, exact quote from the former mayor. Booker has been good for Newark and I hope he goes for higher office. Ellis in 10 lifetimes is no Booker.

Marlon, you have a way with words, I agree with a lot there. But he has always been invisible, not just since 2009. So why give him a shot at assembly? Please, think, we need adults here not kids.

ACS, simply put it would give the air of legitimacy he needs. because to be frank to come out of obscurity after 4 years of doing zip and being invisible on community issues and say you are running for mayor AGAIN, would smack more of personal motivation rather than the public good! I mean what would his platform be, I got 44% of the vote in 2009?!!! He needs to clear the field and take the next step politically, and the perfect step, for him, in my opinion, would be a assembly run!

So much for being hopeful that people could get over themselves (and 2009) as we inch towards next year’s election…

Rather than rehashing old wounds you might think that anyone with a shred of commitment to the future of Albany would be talking about what issues will galvanize voters to elect accountability in 2013.

How does this debate go from here? Am I supposed to try and refute the claims made about Shawn and her supporters now? And then you’ll respond by trying to make a personal attack against me or her or them?

If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Perhaps you’ve heard that before. Common Sense (and many others) are not accurately portraying what happened in 2009. I’m trying to correct that so perhaps the results in 2013 will be different. Stating facts isn’t rehashing old wounds. I understand you don’t like the facts. I wouldn’t either if I was a Morris supporter as it is clear they put personal career politics ahead of the good of the city. But, in their defense, the evidence is clear that approach works if all you want to do is get ahead. So it was a good choice for them when viewed through the political lens. If Ellis was Mayor their career plans would be toast. I’m sure they sleep like babies at night and can live with their decision. Good honest people who always do the right thing don’t go far in politics. Cue righteous indignation from “progressive” politicians and their supporters hoping for lucrative appointments.

I think the issues are pretty clear and there isn’t much point is spending much time on them. This campaign will not be won on the issues. The question is can you get one candidate who can unify support. If not, Jennings wins. He is stronger than he was in 2009 for various reasons. This campaign will be won with money, organization and a unified opposition. Possible? Sure. But money and organization are easy compared to that last part.

Please don’t patronize us with this “why can’t we all forget the past and get along crap”. Ignore “old wounds” and you lose. Ignorance may be bliss but it ain’t no way to build a unified opposition.

I currently don’t see one candidate who can unify support. The people who wouldn’t support Ellis in 2009, really won’t support him now because of Sheehan. There are people who certainly want Ellis to run again since he “came so close”. Sheehan and her supporters are acting like she already has the job (see Albany Weblog posting titled “Mayor Kathy”). And I believe the woman who ran Sheehan’s last campaign now works for Cuomo. I’m sure he will love to have her work against his pal Jerry. Egan is supposedly planning to run. He certainly has a base to start with. If one of those candidates emerges as The Challenger, why won’t the other candidate’s supporters just “pull a Morris” and sit it out and then ask people to forget the past and support their person in 2017? Or are they all supposed to be altruistic and just do the right thing? Where would they find an example of that?

If I was Jennings, I would be one confident incumbent. He barely ran a campaign against Ellis despite all the money. His campaign manager was an afterthought. Turnout was incredibly low in 2009 and if he needs his people to get out for a close race, he can. If you were a Jerry Jennings supporter, why would you get up from the TV and go vote when you knew he was going to win (Siena poll had him winning by Goodbee margins)? If you are a Jennings supporter, I’m guessing you aren’t that ambitious and hoping to change the world. Changing a channel, perhaps. But if you thought your or your family members’ easy job with great bennies was on the line, you’d probably put the remote down and go vote. So he’s got that. And he now has a good friend in the governor. Does the governor need a new mayor in albany shaking things up while he is setting up his run for the white house? Perhaps you know the governor well and think he and his team abandon political allies and open themselves up to any possible scrutiny? I’d love to hear about that.

Jennings played nice last time around because he had polls that showed he could (if you are a Morris supporter, and by your tone it appears you were, perhaps you saw her poll and how she polled against him. If you haven’t seen it, ask to, you will be doing that “learning from history thing” which I’m told is a good approach) and because an incumbent mayor hasn’t lost in Albany for longer than you’ve been alive. Maybe longer than your parents. Don’t expect the same courtesy this time around.

Good luck, kids. I’m hoping Shawn Morris is the next Mayor and she hires Marlon and ACS as her top deputies. Then everything will be good. Shawn Morris has been a tireless worker for the people of Albany and we should be so lucky to have her work for us.

There is no hope for Albany politics. That said, you get what you deserve. Enjoy. I’m sure marlon will save you all.

ACS, I don’t think our former Common Council President has aspirations to get back into the nasty business of electoral politics (see above).

Despite having been at this for several years now, I can’t say that I’m as pessimistic as The Con.

We’ve definitely seen our share of defeats (including those caused by “our own”) over the past several years. We’ve also seen a number of victories. Despite the divide that clearly still exists amongst some of the characters from 2009…

I’m moving on, as are a lot of other people. That’s not to say anyone is forgetting, although that confusion between “forgetting” and “learning” is typical of people who are carrying a lot of baggage. I certainly won’t forget.